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Photographic 

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1 


GROTON 


IN 


THE    WITCHCRAFT    TIMES. 


BY 


SAMUEL   A.  GREEN,  M.D. 


-♦— 


[1 


GROTON,   MASS. 

1883. 


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University  Press: 
John  Wilson  and  Son,  Cambridge. 


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CTbe  illmorp  of  mv  ^nttntov, 
THE    REVEREND    JOSEPH    GREEN, 

OF    SALEM    VILLAGE, 

DURING  WHOSE    MINISTRY   IN   THAT   PARISH    THE   WORK   OF    RECONCILJATION 

WAS    BROUGHT    ABOUT,    AFTER    THE    TERRIBLE 

WITCHCRAFT    TRAGEDY, 

This   Chapter   is   Inscribed 

BY    THE    WRITER. 


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THE    WITCHCRAF1    TIMES. 


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In  the  early  days  of  our  history  a  belief  in  witchcraft,  so 
far  from  being  peculiar  to  Massachusetts,  was  held  throughout 
Christendom.  By  no  means  confined  to  the  ignorant  or 
superstitious  classes,  it  was  entertained  by  educated  and 
thoughtful  men  everywhere.  It  was  a  delusion  for  which 
the  age  was  responsible,  rather  than  any  particular  land  or 
country.  To  us  of  to-day,  with  our  light  and  experience, 
this  state  of  affairs  seems  incredible;  but  perhaps  a  time 
may  come  when  even  some  of  our  actions  will  need  apologies 
and  explanations. 

In  the  autumn  of  167 1  a  case  of  so-called  witchcraft  oc- 
curred at  Groton,  and  the  Reverend  Samuel  VVillard,  at  that 
time  the  minister  of  the  town,  gave  much  attention  and  study 
to  it.  He  wrote  a  long  letter  to  Cotton  Mather,  giving  the 
minutest  details  of  the  case,  and  Dr.  Mather  refers  to  it  in 
his  '^Magnalia  Christi  Americana"  (book  vi.  chapter  vii. 
page  67).  Two  years  later  Mr.  Willard  published  a  volume 
of  sermons  entitled  "  Useful  Instructions  for  a  professing 
People  in  Times  of  great  Security  and  Degeneracy:  deliv- 
ered in  several  Sermons  on  Solemn  Occasions."     It  consists 


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6  GROTON    IN   THE   WITCHCRAFT   TIMES. 

of  tlircc  sermons,  of  which  one  was  preached  in  consequence 
of  this  sui)i)osecl  manifestation  of  the  Devil.  The  fame  or 
notoriety  of  tlic  case  evidently  had  spread  far  and  wide 
throughout  the  colony.     Mr.  Willard  says: 

There  is  a  voice  in  it  to  the  whole  Land,  hut  in  a  more  especial 
manner  to  poor  Groton  :  it  is  not  a  Judgement  afar  off,  hut  it  is  near 
us,  yea  among  us,  God  hath  in  his  wisdome  singled  out  this  poor 
Town  out  of  all  others  in  this  Wilderness,  to  dispense  such  an  amazing 
Providence  in,  and  therefore  let  us  make  a  more  near  and  spec;ial  use 
of  it :  Let  us  look  upon  our  selves  to  he  set  up  as  a  Beacon  upon  a 
Hill  hy  this  Providence,  and  let  those  that  hear  what  liath  heen  done 
among  us,  hear  also  of  the  good  effects,  and  reformation  it  hath  wrought 
among  us.  ,  ?  ; 

The  victim  of  the  witchcraft  was  one  Elizabeth  Knapp, 
who  had  the  long  train  of  symptoms  which  were  then  usually 
ascribed  to  the  personal  influence  of  the  Evil  One,  but  which 
nowadays  would  constitute  a  well-marked  case  of  hysteria. 
She  was  the  daughter  of  James  and  Elizabeth  (Warren) 
Knapp,  and  born  at  Watcrtown,  on  April  2i,  1655.  Her 
father's  house-lot  was  situated  on  the  west  side  of  Main  Street, 
at  the  southerly  end  of  the  village ;  and  the  family  were  living, 
doubtless,  on  that  site  when  the  daughter  was  seized  with 
the  symptoms. 

The  original  letter  of  Mr.  Willard,  describing  the  case,  is 
still  preserved,  and  is  found  numbered  3  in  the  second 
volume  of  the  "  Mather  Papers  "  now  at  the  Boston  Public 
Library.  It  is  written  in  a  very  small,  cramped  hand,  and 
contained  in  four  pages  of  manuscript,  which  is  extremely 
difficult  to  read.  It  has  been  printed  in  the  Collections  of 
the  Massacliusctts  Historical  .Society,  volume  viii.,  fourth 
series,  pages  555-570;  but  the  present  copy  is  made  inde- 
pendently of  that  one,  and  varies  slightly  from  it.  The 
letter  is  as  follows :  -^ 


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1671 

Oct.  30. 


GROTON    IN   THE   WITCHCRAFT  TIMES.  7 

A  bricfe  account  of  a  strange  &>   unnsuaU  rroi'idence  of  God  be- 
fall'ii  to  Elizabeth  Knap  of  Groton,  p  me  Sam''  Wtllard. 

This  poore  &  miserable  ol)ject,  about  a  fortnight  before  shee  was 
taken,  wee  observed  to  curry  horsclfe  in  a  strange  cS;  unwonted  man- 
ner, sometimes  shee  would  give  sudden  shriekes,  ^:  if  wee  enquired  a 
Reason,  would  alwayes  put  it  off  with  some  excuse,  iV  then  would 
burst  forth  into  iiTioderate  &  extravagant  laughter,  in  such  wise,  as 
some  times  shee  fell  onto  y"  ground  w''  it :  I  my  selfe  observed  often- 
times a  strange  change  in  here  countenance,  but  could  not  suspect  y" 
true  reason,  but  conceiued  shee  might  bee  ill,  i\:  y'fore  divers  times 
en(iuired  how  shee  did,  ^:  shee  alwayes  answered  well ;  w*^''  made  mee 
wonder :  but  the  tragedye  began  to  unfold  itselfe  upon  Munday, 
Octob.  30.  71,  after  this  mafier  (as  I  received  by  credible  information, 
being  that  day  my  selfe  gon  from  home).  In  the  evening,  a  little 
before  shee  went  to  bed,  sitting  by  y"  fire,  shee  cryed  out,  oh  my 
legs  !  &  clapt  her  hand  on  y'",  ifnediately  oh  my  breast  !  &  removed 
her  hands  thither ;  &  forthwith,  oh  I  am  strangled,  i\:  put  her  hands  on 
her  throat :  those  y'  observed  her  could  not  see  what  to  make  uf  it ; 
whither  shee  was  in  earnest  or  dissembled,  &  in  this  maner  they  left  her 
(excepting  y"  psui.  y*  lay  with  her)  complaining  of  her  breath  be- 
ing stopt :  The  next  day  shee  was  m  a  strange  frame,  (as  was  Oct.  31 
observed  by  divers)  sometimes  weeping,  sometimes  laughing.  &  many 
foolish  (S:  apish  gestures.  In  y"  evening,  going  into  y"  cellar,  shee 
shrieked  suddenly,  t\:  being  enquired  of  y"  cause,  shee  answered,  y'  shee 
saw  2  ,psons  in  y"  cellar ;  whereupon  some  went  downe  with  her  to 
search,  but  found  none  ;  shee  also  looking  with  y""  ;  at  last  shee  turned 
her  head,  &  looking  one  way  stedfostly,  used  y"  exp'ssion,  w'  cheere 
old  man  ?  which,  they  that  were  with  her  tooke  for  a  fansye,  &  soe 
ceased;  afterwards  (y*-"  same  evening,)  y"  rest  of  y"  family  being  in 
bed,  shee  was  (as  one  lying  in  y''  roome  saw,  &  shee  herselfe  also 
afterwards  related)  suddenly  +hrowne  downe  into  y*"  midst  of  y" 
floore  w"'  violence,  &  taken  with  a  violent  fit,  whereupon  y"  whole 
family  was  raised,  &  with  much  adoe  was  shee  kept  out  of  y^  fire  fro 
destroying  herselfe  after  w'-''  time  she  was  followed  w"'  fits  from  thence 
till  y'=  sabbath  day;  in  which  shee  was  violent  in  bodily  motions, 
leapings,  strainings  &  strange  agitations,  scarce  to  bee  held  in  bounds 
by  the  strength  of  3  or  4  :  violent  alsoe  in  roarings  &  screamings, 


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GROTON    IN   THE  WITCHCRAFT  TIMES. 


rep'senting  a  dark  resemblance  of  hellisli  torm",  iS:  fre(iueiuly  using 
in  these  fits  divers  'vords,  sometimes  crying  out  money,  money,  some- 

Nov.  I.  times,  sin  &  misery  with  oth';r  words.  On  Wednesday,  being  in  y" 
time  of  intermission  questioned  about  y"  case  shee  was  in,  w"'  rcfer- 
,  ence  to  y*"  cause  or  occasion  of  it,  shee  seemed  to  impeach  one  of 
y'  neighl)o's,  a  ])son  (I  doubt  not)  of  sincere  uprightnesse  before 
(Jod,  as  thougli  cidier  slice,  or  y-  devill  in  her  likenesse  «S:  habit,  ptic- 
ularly  her  riding  hood,  had  come  downe  y"  chimney,  stricken  her  t  lat 
night  shee  was  first  taken  violently,  w*^''  was  y"  occasion  of  her  bemg 
cast  into  y"  floore  ;  whereupon  those  about  her  sent  to  request  y"" 
j)son  to  come  to  her,  who  coming  unwittingly,  was  at  y"  first  assaulted 
by  her  stranglye,  for  though  her  eyes  were  (as  it  were)  sealed  up  (as 
they  were  alwayes,  or  for  y''  most  jtt,  in  those  fits,  cV  soe  continue  in 
y"'  all  to  this  day)  shee  yet  knew  her  very  touch  from  any  other, 
though  no  voice  were  uttered,  &  discovered  it  evidently  by  her  ges- 
tures, soe  powcrfiiU  were  Satans  suggestions  in  her,  yet  afterward  God 
was  pleased  to  vindicate  y '  case  \:  justifye  y''  iiiocent,  ever  to  remove 
jealousyes  fro  y"  spirits  of  y"  pty  concerned,  &  satisfaction  of  y"" 
l)y  standers  ;  for  after  shee  had  gon  to  prayer  w"'  her,  shee  confessed 
that  she  beleeved  Satan  had  deluded  her,  &  hath  never  since  com- 
plained of  any  such  apparition  or  disturbance  from  y"  ,])son.  These 
fits  continuing,  (though  w"'  intermission)  divers,  (when  they  had 
opportunity)  p'ssed  upon  her  to  declare  w'  might  bee  y''  true  &  real 
occasion  of  these  amazing  fits.  Shee  used  many  tergiversatio  & 
excuses,  p'tending  shee  would  to  y''  &  y'  young  ,pson,  who  coming, 

Nov.  3.  she  put  it  off  to  another,  till  at  y'^  last,  on  thurdsday  night,  shee  brake 
forth  into  a  large  confession  in  y"  ])'sence  of  many,  y"  substance 
whereof  amounted  to  thus  much  :  That  y*-"  devill  had  oftentimes  ap- 
peared to  her,  p'senting  y  treaty  of  a  Covenant,  &  pffering  largely  to 
iier :  viz.  such  things  as  suted  her  youthfiill  fancye,  money,  silkes,  fine 
cloaths,  ease  from  labo'  to  show  her  y"  whole  world,  &c  :  that  it  had 
bin  then  3  yeers  since  his  first  appearance,  occasioned  by  her  discon- 
tent :  '  That  at  first  his  apparitions  had  bin  more  rare,  but  lately  more 
frequent ;  yea  those  few  weekes  y'  shee  had  dwelt  with  us  almost  con- 
stant, that  shee  seldome  went  out  of  one  roome  into  another,  but  liee 
appeared  to  her  urging  of  her  :  &  y'  hee  had  p'sented  her  a  booke  writ- 
ten w"'  blood  of  covenants  made  by  others  w"*  him,  &  told  her  such 
&  such  (of  some  wherof  we  hope  better  things)  had  a  name  there ; 


r 


GROTON    IN   THE   WITCHCRAFT  TIMES. 


I 


\ 


that  hee  urged  upon  her  constant  temptations  to  murder  her  ,pents, 
her  neighho's,  our  children,  <  specially  y'^  youngest,  tempting  her  to 
throw  it  into  y*"  fire,  on  y'  ht  ath,  into  y"  oven ;  &  that  once  hee  put 
a  bill  hooke  into  her  hand,  to  murder  my  selfe,  psuading  her  I  was 
asleep,  but  coming  about  it,  shee  met  me  on  y''  staires  at  which  shee 
was  aflrighted,  the  time  I  remember  well,  &  observd  a  strange  frame 
in  her  countenance  &  saw  she   endeav'ed  to  hitle  something,  but  I 
knew  not  what,  neither  did  I  at  all  suspect  any  such  matter ;  &  y' 
often  he  |)suaded  her  to  make  aw?y  w"'  herselfe  &  once  she  v.aj  goingf 
to  drowne  herselfe  in  y'=  well,   for,  looking  into  it,  shee  saw  such 
sighcs  as  allured  her,  &  was  gotten  w  hin  y"'  curbe,  &  was  by  God's 
providence  prevented,  many  other  like  things  shee  related,  too  tedi- 
ous to  recollect :  but  being  passed  to  declare  whither  she  had  not 
consented  to  a  coven'  w""  y^  Devill,  shee  with  solemne  assertions  de- 
ny^d  it,  yea  asserted  y'  shee  had  neuer  soe  much  as  consented  to  dis 
co'se  with  him,  nor  had  ever  but  once  before  y'  night  used  y""  exp'ssion, 
W  cheere,  old  man?  &  this  argimi'  shee  used,  y'  y""  providence  of 
God  had  ordered  it  soe,  y'  all  his  apparitions  had  bin  frightfull  to  her  3 
yet  this  shee  acknowledged,  (which  seemed  contradictorye,  viz  :)   y' 
when  shee  came  to  our  house  to  schoole,  before  such  time  as  shee  dwelt 
with  us,  shee  delayed  her  going  home  in  y»  evening,  till  it  was  darke, 
(w*^''  wee  observed)  upon  his  psuasion  to  have  his  company  home,  & 
y'  shee  could  not,  when  hee  appeared,  but  goe  to  him  ;  one  evident 
testimony  wherof  wee  can  say  somlhing  to,  viz.     y'=  night  before  y" 
Thanksgiving,  Octob.  19.  shee  was  with  another  maid  y'  boarded  in  y^ 
house,  whei       oth  of  them  saw  y'=  appearance  of  a  mans  head  & 
shoulders,  w"'  a  great  white  neckcloath,  looking  in  at  y-^  window,  at 
which  they  came  up  affrighted  both  into  y'=  chamber,  where  y"  rest  of 
us  were,  they  declaring  y"  case,  one  of  us  went  downe  to  see  who  it 
might  bee,  but  shee  ran  immediately  out  of  y"  doore  before  him, 
which  shee  halh  since  confessed,  was  y«  Devill  coming  to  her ;  shee 
also  acknowledged  the  reason  of  her  former  sudden  shriekings,  was  from 
a  sudden  apparition,  &  that  y<=  devill  put  these  excuses  into  her  mouth, 
&  bit  her  soe  to  say,  &  hurried  her  into  those  violent  (but  shee  saith 
feigned  &  forced)  laughters  :  shee  then  also  complained  against  her- 
selfe of  many  sins,  disobedience  to  ^ents,  neglect  of  attendance  upon 
ordinances,  attempts  to  murder  herselfe  &  others ;  but  this  {tticular 
of  a  covenant  shee  utterly  disclaimed :  which  relation  seemed  faire, 


10 


GROTON   IN   THE  WITCHCRAFT  TIMES. 


especially  in  y*  it  was  attended  w"'  bitter  teares,  selfe  condemnations, 
good  counsells  given  to  all  about  her,  especially  y"-"  youth  y"  p'sent, 
&  an  earnest  desire  of  prayers :  shee  sent  to  Lancaster  for  M'.  Row- 
landson,  who  came  &  prayed  with  her,  &  gave  her  serious  counsells ; 
but  shee  was  still  followed,  all  this  notwithstanding,  with  these  fits : 

Nov. 3.  &  in  this  state  (coming  home  on  fryday)  I  found  her;  but  could  get 
nothing  from  her,  whenever  I  came  in  p'sence  shee  fell  into  those  fits, 
concerning  which  fits,  I  find  this  noteworthy,  shee  knew  &  understood 
%yhat  was  spoken  to  her,  but  could  not  answer,  nor  use  uay  other 
woras  but  y'  forementioned,  money,  &c  :  as  long  as  y*"  fit  continued, 
for  when  shee  came  out  of  it,  shee  could  give  a  relation  of  all  y'  had 
been  spoken  to  her :  shee  was  demanded  a  reason  why  bhee  used 
those  words  in  her  fits,  &  signifyed  that  the  Devill  p'sented  her  with 
such  things,  to  tempt  her,  &  with  sin  &  miserye,  to  terrifye  her ;  shee 
also  declared  that  shee  had  seene  y"  Devills  in  y'  hellish  shapes,  & 
more  Devills  y"  any  one  there  ever  saw  men  in  y*"  world.     Many  of 

Nov.  5.  these  things  I  heard  her  declure  on  Saturday  at  night :  On  y"  Sab- 
bath the  Physitian  came,  who  judged  a'  maine  p':  of  her  distempr  to 
be  naturall,  arising  from  the  foulnesse  of  her  stomacke,  &  corrupt- 
nesse  of  her  blood,  occasioning  fumes  in  her  braine.  &  strange  fan- 
syes ;  whereupon  (in  order  to  further  tryall  &  administration)  shee 
was  removed  home,  &  the  succeeding  weekc  shee  tooke  physicke,  & 
was  not  in  such  violence  handldd  in  her  fits  as-  before  ;  but  enjoyed 
an  intermission,  &  gave  some  hopes  of  recovery ;  in  which  intermis- 
sion shee  was  altogether  sercelesse  (as  to  our  discoverye)  of  her  state, 
held  under  securitye,  &  hardnesse  of  heart,  j)fessing  shee  had  no 

Nov.  8.  trouble  upon  her  spirits,  shee  cried  satan  had  lef.  her :  A  soleme  day 
was  kept  w*"  her,  yet  it  had  then,  (as  I  app'hend,)  little  efficacy  upon 
her ;  shee  that  day  again  exp'ssed  hopes  that  y''  Devill  h?.d  left  her, 
but  y""  was  little  ground  to  thinke  soe,  because  she  remained  under 
such  extreame  sencelessenesse  of  her  owne  estate  :  &  thus  shee  con- 
tinued, being  exercised  with  some  moderate  fits,  in  w'"  shee  used  none 
of  y'=  former  exp'ssions,  but  sometimes  fainted  away,  sometimes  used 

Nov.  15.  some  struglings,  yet  not  with  extrem^Lye,  till  y"'  Wednesday  following, 
w'=''  day  was  spent  in  prayer  w''"  her,  when  her  fits  something  more  en- 

,  creased,  &  her  tongue  was  for  many  houres  together  drawne  into  a 

semicircle  up  to  y-  roofe  of  her  mouth,  &  not  to  be  'emooved,  for 

Nov.  16.  some  tryed  w'"  y"  fingers  to  doe  it :  fro  thence  till  y'  sabbath  seuen 


GROTON   IN   THE  WITCHCRAFT  TIMES. 


II 


night  following  :  she  continued  alike,  only  shee  added  to  former  con- 
fessions, of  her  twise  consenting  to  travell  with  y^  Devili  in  her  com- 
pany between  Groton  &  Lanc^ter,  who  accompanied  her  in  forme  of 
a  blacke  dog  w"*  eyes  in  his  backe,  sometimes  slopping  her  horse, 
sometimes  leaping  up  behind,  &  keeping  her  (when  si  ?  came  home 
w"'  company)  40  rod  at  least  behind,  leading  her  out  of  y*  way  into  a 
swampe,  &c. :  but  still  no  conference  would  shee  ovvne,  but  urged  that 
the  devills  quarell  with  her  was  because  shee  would  not  scale  a  cov- 
ena'  w""  him,  &  y'  y'  was  y''  ground  of  her  first  being  taken,     besides 
this  nothing  observable  came  fro  her,  only  one  morning  shee  said 
God  is  a  father,  y^  next  morning,  God  is  my  father,  which  words  (it  is 
to  be  feared)  were  words  of  p'sumption,  put  into  her  mouth  by  y* 
adversary.     I  suspecting  the   truth   of  her  former  storye,  pressed, 
whether  shee  never  verbally  promised  to  covenant  w"*  him,  which 
shee  stoutly  denyed :    only  acknowledged  that  shee  had  had   some 
thoughts  soe  to  doe :  but  on  y"  forenamed  Nov.  26.  shee  was  again 
with  violence  &  extremity  seized  oy  her  fits,  in  such  wise  y'  6  ^sons 
could  hardly  hold  her,  but  shee  leaped  &  skipped  about  y^  house 
gforce  roaring,  &  yelling  extreamly,  &  fetching  deadly  sighs,  as  if  her 
heartstrings  would  have  broken,  &  looking  w"'  a  frightfuU  aspect,  to 
y""  amazem'  &  astonishm'  of  all  the  beholders,  of  which  I  was  an  eye 
witnes*    :     The  Physitian  being  then  agen  with  her  consented  that  y^ 
distemper  was  Diabolicall,  refused  further  to  administer,  advised  to 
extraordinary  fasting ;  whereupon  some  of  Gods  ministers  were  sent 
for :  shee  meane  while  continued  extreamly  tormented  night  &  day, 
till  Tuesday  about  noon  ;  having  this  added  on  Munday  &  Tuesday 
morning  that  shee  barked  like  a  dog,  &  bleated  like  a  calfe,  in  w'^''  her 
organs  were  visibly  made  use  of:  yea,  (as  w?s  carefully  obsen-ed)  on 
Mund  y  night,  &  Tuesday  morning,  when  ever  any  came  neere  y'= 
house,  though  they  within  heard  nothing  at  all,  yet  would  shee  barke  Nov.  28. 
till  they  were  come  into  y^  house,  on  Tuesday,  about  1 2  of  y''  clocke, 
she  came  out  of  y^  fit,  which  had  held  her  fro  Sabbath  day  about  y* 
same  time,  at  least  48  howers,  w""  little  or  no  intermission,  &  then  her 
speech  was  restored  to  her,  &  shee  exp'ssed  a  great  seeming  aence  of 
her  state :  many  bitter  teares,  sighings,  sobbings,  complainings  shee 
ut'  red,  bewailing  of  many  ..ins  fore  mentioned,  begging  prayers,  &  in 
y*  houre  of  prayer  o.pressing  much  affection :     I  then  p''ssed  if  y' 
were  anything  behind  in  reference  to  y*  dealings  between  her  &  Satan, 


•»C'J*^»«1!'V.,  . 


IIIHKI 


mi 


12 


GROTON   IN   THE  WITCHCRAFT  TIMES. 


when  she  agen  pfessed  y'  shee  had  related  all :  &  declared  that  in 
those  fits  the  devill  had  assaulted  her  many  wayes,  that  hee  came 
downe  y"  chimney,  &  shee  essayed  to  escape  him,  but  was  siezed 
upon  by  him,  that  hee  sat  upon  her  breast,  &  used  many  arg''  w"*  her, 
&  y'  hee  urged  here  at  one  time  w""  persuasions  &  promises,  of  ease, 
&  great  matters,  told  her  y'  shee  had  done  enough  in  w'  shee  had 
already  confessed,  shee  might  henceforth  serve  him  more  securely ; 
anon  told  hir  her  time  was  past,  &  there  was  no  hopec  unlesse  shee 
would  serve  him  ;  &  it  was  observed  in  the  time  of  her  extremity, 
once  when  a  little  moments  respite  was  granted  her  of  speech,  shee 
advised  us  to  make  o'  peace  with  God,  &  use  o'  time  better  y"  shee 

Nov.  29.  had  done,  y"  pty  advised  her  also  to  bethinke  herselfe  of  making 
her  peace,  shee  replyed,  it  is  too  late  for  me  :  the  next  day  was 
solemnized,  w"  we  had  y^  presence  of  M.  Bulkley,  M'  Rowlandson, 
&  M!  Estabrooke,  whither  coming,  we  found  her  returned  to  a  sottish 
&  stupid  kind  of  frame,  much  was  prest  upon  her,  but  no  affection  at 
all  discovered ;  though  shee  was  litde  or  nothmg  'xercised  w"*  any 
fits,  &  her  speech  also  continued :  though  a  day  or  two  after  shee 
was  rr.elancholye  &  being  enquired  of  a  reason,  shee  complained 
y'  shee  was  grieved  y'  so  much  pains  were  taken  w"*  her,  &  did  her  no 

Dec  4.  good,  but  this  held  her  not  long  :  &  thus  shee  rema'ned  till  Munday, 
when  to  some  neighbors  there  p'sent,  shee  related  something  more  of 
he  converse  w""  y-  devill,  "iz.  That  it  had  bin  5  yeers  or  therabouts, 
since  shee  first  saw  him,  &  declared  methodically  y*"  sundry  apparitions 
fro  time  to  time,  till  shee  was  thus  dreadfully  assaulted,  in  which,  y* 
principall  was,  that  after  many  assaults,  shee  had  resolved  to  seale  a 
covenant  with  Satan,  thinking  shee  had  better  doe  it,  then  be  thus 
followed  by  him,  that  once,  when  shee  lived  at  Lancaster,  he  p'sented 
himselfe,  &  desired  of  her  blood,  &  shee  nould  have  done  it,  but 
wanted  a  knife,  in  y"  parley  shee  was  prevented  by  the  providence  of 
God  interposing  my  father ;  a  2''  time  in  y"-"  house  hee  met  her,  & 
p''sonted  her  a  knife,  &  as  she  was  going  about  it  my  father  stept  in 
agen  &  p'vented,  that  when  shee  sough.  &  enquired  for  y*  knife,  it 
was  not  to  bee  found,  &  y'  afterward  shee  saw  it  sticking  in  y^  top  of 
the  bame,  &  some  other  like  passages  shee  agen  owned  an  observable 
passage  w''''  shee  also  had  confessed  in  her  first  declaration,  but  is  not 
there  inserted,  viz.  y'  y*^  devill  had  often  pffered  her  his  service,  but 
shee  accepted  not ;  &  once  in  £tic  :  to  bring  her  in  chips  for  /"=  fire, 


GROTON   IN   THE   WITCHCRAFT  TIMES. 


13 


shee  refused,  but  when  shee  came  in  shee  saw  them  lye  by  the  fire 
side,  &  was  affraid,  &  this  I  remarke,  I  sitting  by  y"  fire  spake  to  her 
to  lay  y'"  on,  &  she  turned  away  in  an  unwonted  manner :  she  then 
also  declared  a'-'*'  herselfe  her  unj)fitable  life  she  had  led,  &  how  justly 
God  had  thus  jimitted  Satan  to  handle  her,  telling  them,  they  little  knew 
w'  a  sad  case  shee  was  in.  I  after  asked  her  concerning  these  pas- 
sages, &  shee  owned  y''  truth  of  y'",  &  declared  y'  now  shee  hoped  y* 
devill  had  left  her,  but  being  prest  whether  there  were  not  a  covenant, 
she  earnestly  gfessed,  y'  by  Gods  goodnesse  shee  had  bin  p'vented 
fro  doing  that,  w*"''  shee  of  herselfe  had  been  ready  enough  to  assent 
to  ;  &  shee  thanked  God  there  was  no  such  thing  :  The  same  day 
shee  was  agen  taken  w"*  a  new  kind  of  unwonted  fitt  in  which  after 
shee  had  bin  awhile  exercised  w"'  violence,  shee  got  her  a  sticke,  & 
went  up  and  downe,  thrusting,  &  pushing,  here  &  there,  &  anon  look- 
ing out  at  a  window,  &  cryed  out  of  a  witch  appearing  in  a  strange 
maner  in  forme  of  a  dog  downward,  wth  a  womans  head,  &  declared 
y'  ^son,  other  whiles  that  shee  appeard  in  her  whole  likenesse,  & 
described  her  shape  and  habit :  signifyed  that  shee  went  up  y* 
chimney  &  went  her  way :  what  impression  wee  re'**  in  y*  clay  of 
y°  chimney,  in  similitude  of  a  dogs  paw,  by  y°  operation  of  Satan,  & 
in  y'  form  of  a  dogs  going  in  y*  same  place  she  tould  of,  I  shall 
not  conclude,  though  something  y"^  was,  as  I  myselfe  saw  in  y^  chim- 
ney in  y"  same  place  where  shee  declared  y'  foot  was  set  to  goe  up : 
In  this  maner  was  she  handled  that  night,  &  y*  3  next  dayes,  using 
strange  gestures,  complaining  by  signes,  when  shee  could  not  speake 
explaining  that  shee  was  sometimes  in  y'  chamber,  somet.  in  y^  chim- 
ney, &  anon  assaults  her,  sometimes  scratching  her  breast,  beating  her 
sides,  strangling  her  throat,  &  she  did  oftentimes  seeme  to  our  ap- 
p'hension  as  if  shee  would  forthwith  bee  strangled  :  She  declared  y* 
if  y"  j)ty  were  app'hended  shee  should  forthwith  bee  well,  but  never 
till  y" ;  whereupon  her  father  went,  &  j)cured  y'  coining  of  y""  woman  Dec.  7. 
impeached  by  her,  who  came  downe  to  her  on  Thurdsday  night,  where 
(being  desired  to  be  |)sent)  I  observed  y*  she  was  violently  handled, 
&  lamentably  tormented  by  y*"  adversarye,  &  uttered  unirual  shriekes  at 
y^  instant  of  y*  j)sons  coming  in,  though  her  eyes  were  fast  closed : 
but  having  experience  of  such  former  actings,  wee  made  nothing  of 
it,  but  waited  y'  issue  :  God  therefore  was  sought  to,  to  signifye 
something,  whereby  y''  innocent  might  bee  acquitted,  or  y°  guilty  dis- 


14 


GROTON   IN   THE  WITCHCRAFT  TIMES. 


covered,  &  hee  Answered  o'  prayers,  for  by  2  evident  &  cleere  mis- 
takes she  was  cleered,  &  then  all  p'judices  ceased,  &  she  never 
more  to  this  day  hath  impeached  her  of  any  apparition  :  in  y"  foremen- 
tioned  allegation  of  y  j)son,  shee  also  signifyed  y'  somet.  y*  devil  alsoe 
Dec.  8.  in  y*  likenesse  of  a  little  boy  appeared  together  w""  y^  j)son  :  Fryday 
wns  a  sad  day  w"'  her,  for  shee  was  sorely  handled  w"*  fits,  which 
some  ,pceiving  pressed  that  y'  was  something  yet  behind  not  discov- 
ered by  her ;  &  shee  after  a  violent  fit,  holding  her  betweene  two  & 
3  houres  did  first  to  one,  &  afterwards  to  many  acknowledge  that 
shee  had  given  of  her  blood  to  y'  Devill,  &  made  a  covenant  w"*  him, 
whereupon  I  was  sent  for  to  her ;  &  understanding  how  things  had 
passed,  I  found  that  there  was  no  roome  for  privac3'e,  in  another 
alredy  made  by  her  soe  publicke,  I  therefore  examined  her  concerning 
the  matter ;  &  found  her  not  soe  forward  to  confesse,  as  shee  had  bin  to 
others,  yet  thus  much  I  gathered  fro  her  confession : 

That  after  shee  came  to  dwell  w"*  us,  one  day  as  shee  was  alone  in 
a  lower  roome,  all  y^  rest  of  us  being  in  y''  chamber,  she  looked  out 
at  y^  window,  &  saw  y"  devill  in  y"  habit  of  an  old  man,  coming  over 
a  great  meadow  lying  neere  the  house ;  &  suspecting  his  designe, 
shee  had  thoughts  to  have  gon  away,  yet  at  length  resolved  to  tarry 
it  out,  &  heare  w'  hee  had  to  say  to  her ;  when  hee  came  hee  de- 
manded of  her  some  of  her  blood,  which  shee  forthwith  consented 
to,  &  with  a  knife  cut  her  finger,  hee  caught  y''  blood  in  his  hand,  & 
then  told  her  she  must  wTite  her  name  in  his  tooke,  shee  answered, 
shee  could  not  write,  but  hee  told  her  he  w'**  direct  her  hand,  &.  then 
took  a  little  sharpened  sticke,  &  dipt  in  the  blood,  &  put  it  into  her 
hand,  &  guided  it,  &  shee  wrote  her  name  with  his  helpe  :  what  was 
the  matter  shee  set  her  hand  to,  I  could  not  learne  from  her ;  but  thus 
much  shee  confessed,  that  the  terme  of  time  agreed  upon  with  hun 
was  for  7  yeeis  ;  one  yeere  shee  was  to  be  faithful!  in  his  service,  &  then 
y*  other  six  hee  would  serve  her,  &  make  her  a  witch  :  shee  also  re- 
lated, y'  y^  ground  of  contest  between  her  6z  y^  devill  which  was  y' 
occasion  of  this  sad  providence,  was  this,  y'  after  her  covenant  made 
the  devill  showed  her  hell  &  y"  daiued,  &  told  her  if  shee  were  not 
faithfull  to  him,  shee  should  goe  thither,  &  bee  tormented  there ;  shee 
desired  of  him  to  show  her  heaven,  but  hee  told  her  y'  heaven  was  an 
ougly  place,  &  that  none  went  thither  but  a  company  of  base  roagues 
whom  he  hated ;  but  if  shee  w'''  obey  him,  it  should  be  well  with  her : 


GROTON   IN   THE  WITCHCRAFT  TIMES. 


15 


but  aftenvard  shee  considered  with  herselfe,  that  the  terme  of  her 
coven',  was  but  short,  &  would  soone  bee  at  an  end,  &  shee  doubted 
(for  all  y^  devills  .pmises)  shee  must  at  last  come  to  y'  place  hee  had 
showne  her,  &  withall,  feared,  if  shee  were  a  witch,  shee  should  bee  dis- 
covered, &  brought  to  a  shamefull  end ;  which  was  many  times  a 
trouble  on  her  spirits ;  this  the  Devill  j)ceiving,  urged  upon  her  to 
give  him  more  of  her  blood,  &  set  her  hand  agen  to  his  booke,  which 
shee  refused  to  doe,  but  |)tly  through  promises,  ,ptly  by  threatnings, 
hee  brought  her  at  last  to  a  promise  y*  she'^  would  sometime  doe  it : 
after  which  hee  left  not  incessantly  to  urge  her  to  y''  j)formance  of  it, 
once  hee  met  her  on  the  staires.  &  often  elsewhere  pressing  her  with 
vehemencye,  but  shee  still  put  it  off;  till  the  first  night  shee  was  taken 
when  y*  devill  came  to  her,  &  told  her  he  would  not  tarry  any  longer : 
shee  told  him  shee  would  not  doe  it  het  Ansv/ered  shee  had  done  it 
already,  &  w'  further  damage  would  it  bee  to  doe  it  agen,  for  shee 
was  his  sure  enough :  she  rejoyned  shee  had  done  it  already,  &  if 
shee  were  his  sure  enough,  what  need  hee  to  desire  any  more  of  her : 
whereupon  he  strucke  her  y"  first  night,  agen  more  violently  y'=  2d 
as  is  above  exp'*' :  This  is  y"  sume  of  y^  Relation  I  then  had  fro  her  : 
which  at  that  time  seemed  to  bee  methodicall :  These  things  she 
uttered  with  great  affection,  overflowing  of  teares,  &  seeming  bitter- 
nesse  :  I  asked  of  the  Reason  of  her  weeping  &  bittemesse,  shee 
complained  of  hersinns,  &  some  in  j)ticular,  profanation  of  the  sab- 
bath &c  :  but  nothing  of  this  sin  of  renouncing  >  goverm'  of  God.  & 
giving  herselfe  up  to  y"  devill :  I  therfore,  (as  God  helped)  applied 
it  to  her  &  asked  her  whether  shee  desired  not  prayers  with  «S:  for  her, 
shee  assented  with  eamestnesse,  &  in  prayer  seemed  to  bewaile  the 
sin  as  God  helped,  then  in  y'=  aggravation  of  it,  &  afterward  declared 
a  desire  to  rely  on  y^  power  &  mercy  of  God  in  Christ :  shee 
then  also  declared,  that  y^  Devill  had  deceived  her  concerning  those 
j)soRS  impeached  by  her,  that  hee  had  in  their  likenesse  or  resemblance 
tormented  her,  |)suading  her  that  it  was  they,  that  they  bare  her  a 
spleen,  but  he  loved  her,  &  would  free  her  from  them,  &  pressed  on 
her  to  endeavo'  to  bring  them  forth  to  y'  censure  of  y*  law.  In  this 
case  I  left  her ;  but  (not  being  satisfied  in  some  things)  I  promised  to 
visit  her  agen  y*^  next  day  which  accordingly  I  did,  but  coming  to  her, 
I  found  her  (though  her  speech  still  remained)  in  a  case  sad  enough, 
her  teares  dryed  up,  &  sences  stupifyed,  &  (as  was  observed)  when  I 


\\\ 


\6 


GROTON    IN   THE  WITCHCRAFT  TIMES. 


.; 


could  get  nothing  from  her,  &  therfore  applyed  myselfe  in  counsell  to 
her,  shee  regarded  it  not,  but  fixed  her  eye  steadfastly  upon  a  place, 
as  shee  was  wont  when  y'  Devill  p'^sented  himselfe  to  her,  which  was 
Dec.  10,  a  griefc  to  her  p'ents,  &  brought  mee  to  a  stand ;  in  y'  condition  I  left 
her :  The  next  day,  bting  y'=  Sabbath,  whither  upon  any  hint  given 
her,  or  any  advantage  Satan  tooke  by  it  '.:pon  her,  shee  sent  for  mee 
in  hast  at  noone,  coming  to  her,  shee  iiiiediately  with  teares  told  me 
y*  shee  had  belied  the  Devill,  in  saying  shee  had  given  him  of  her 
blood  :  &c  :  professed  y'  y*  most  of  y"  apparitions  shee  had  spoken  of 
were  but  fansyes,  as  images  rep'sented  in  a  dreame ;  earnestly  en- 
treated me  to  beleeve  her,  called  God  to  witnesse  to  her  assertion,  I 
told  her  I  would  willingly  hope  y*"  best,  &  beleeve  what  I  had  any 
good  grounds  to  app'hend ;  if  therefore  shee  would  tell  a  more  me- 
thodicall  relation  y"  y'=  former,  it  would  be  well,  but  if  otherwise,  she 
must  bee  content  y'  every  one  should  censure  according  to  their  app'hen- 
si'<n,  shee  promised  soe  to  doe,  &  expressed  a  desire  y'  all  y'  would  might 
heare  her ;  y'  as  they  had  heard  soe  many  lyes  &  untruths,  y''  might 
now  heare  y*  truth,  &  engaged  y'  in  y'  evening  shee  would  doe  it ;  I 
then  repaired  to  her,  &  divers  more  then  went ;  shee  then  declared 
thus  much,  that  the  Devill  had  sometimes  appeared  to  her ;  y'  y'  oc- 
casion of  it  was  her  discontent,  that  her  condition  displeased  her,  her 
labo''  was  burdensome  to  her,  shee  was  neither  content  to  bee  at  home 
nor  abroad ;  &  had  oftentime  strong  .psuasions  to  practice  in  witch- 
craft, had  often  wished  y*^  Devill  would  come  to  her  at  such  &  such 
times,  &  resolved  y'  if  hee  would,  shee  would  give  herselfe  up  to  him 
soule  &  body :  but  (though  hee  had  oft  times  appeared  to  her,  yet) 
at  such  times  hee  had  not  discovered  himselfe,  and  therfore  shee  had 
bin  p'served  fro  such  a  thing :  I  declared  a  suspicion  of  y*  truth  of 
y*  relation,  &  gave  her  some  Reasons ;  but  by  Reason  of  y'  com- 
pany did  not  say  much,  neither  could  anything  further  be  gotten  from 
her :  but  y'  next  day  I  went  to  her,  &  opened  my  mind  to  her  alone, 
&  left  it  with  her,  declared  (among  other  things)  y'  shee  had  used 
p'posterous  courses,  &  therfore  it  was  no  marvell  y'  shee  had  bin  led 
into  such  contradictions,  &  tendered  her  all  y'  helpe  I  could,  if  shee 
would  make  use  of  me,  &  more  privately  relate  any  weighty  &  serious 
case  of  Conscience  to  me,  shee  promised  me  shee  would  if  shee 
knew  any  thing,  but  said  y*  then  shee  knew  nothing  at  all ;  but  stood 
to  y"  story  shee  had  told  y''  foregoing  evening :  &  indeed  w'  to  make 


GROTON   IN   THE   WITCHCRAFT  TIMES. 


17 


of  these  things  I  at  p'sent  know  not,  but  am  waiting  till  God  (if  hee 
see  meet)  wind  up  y'=  storj-,  &  make  a  more  cleere  discoverye.  It 
was  not  many  dayes  ere  shee  was  hurried  agen  into  violent  fits  after  a 
different  manner,  being  taken  agen  speechlessc,  &  using  all  endeavors  to 
make  away  w""  herselfe,  &  doe  mischiefe  unto  others ;  striking  those 
y'  held  her ;  spitting  in  their  faces ;  &  if  at  any  time  shee  had  done 
any  harme  or  frightened  them  shee  would  laugh  imediately  ;  which  fits 
held  her  sometimes  longer,  sometimes  shorter,  few  occasions  shee  had 
of  speech,  but  when  shee  could  speake,  shee  complained  of  a  hard 
heart,  counselled  some  to  beware  of  sin,  for  that  had  brought  her  to 
this,  bewailed  y'  soe  many  prayers  had  bin  put  up  for  her,  &  shee  still 
so  hard  hearted,  &  no  more  good  wrought  upon  her  ;  but  being  asked 
whither  shee  were  willing  to  repent,  shaked  her  head,  &  said  nothing. 
Thus  shee  continued  till  y'=  next  sabbath  in  y'^  afternoone ;  on  which  Dec.  17. 
day  in  y"  morning,  being  somthing  better  then  at  other  times,  shee 
had  but  little  company  tarryed  with  her  in  y=  afternoon  ;  when  y^ 
Devill  began  to  make  more  full  discoverye  of  himselfe  :  It  had  bin 
a  question  before,  whither  shee  might  p'ply  bee  called  a  Demoniacke, 
or  tpson  possessed  of  y^  Devill,  but  it  was  then  put  out  of  Question  : 
hee  began  (as  y°  psons  with  her  testifye)  by  drawing  her  tongue  out 
of  her  mouth  most  frightfully  to  an  extraordinary  length  &  great- 
nesse,  &  many  amazing  postures  of  her  bodye  ;  &  then  by  speaking, 
vocally  in  her,  whereupon  her  father,  &  another  neighbo'  were 
called  fro  y^  meeting,  on  whom,  (as  soon  as  they  came  in,)  he  railed, 
calling  them  roagues,  charging  theii  for  folly  in  going  to  heare  a 
blacke  roague,  who  told  y"  nothing  but  a  gcell  of  lyes,  &  deceived 
them,  &  many  like  exp'ssions.  after  exercise  I  was  called,  but  under- 
stood hot  y*"  occasion,  till  I  came,  &  heard  y'^  same  voice,  a  grum, 
low,  yet  audible  voice  it  was,  y"  first  salutation  I  had  was,  oh  !  you  are 
a  great  roague,  I  was  at  y''  first  somthing  daunted  &  amazed,  & 
many  reluctances  I  had  upon  my  spirits,  which  brought  mee  to  a 
silence  and  amazement  in  my  spirits,  till  at  last  God  heard  my  groanes 
&  gave  me  both  refreshment  in  Christ,  &  co'age  :  I  then  called  for  a 
light,  to  see  whither  it  might  not  appeare  a  counterfiet,  and  observed 
not  any  of  her  organs  to  moove,  y'  voice  was  hollow,  as  if  it  issued 
out  of  her  throat ;  hee  then  agen  called  me  great  blacke  re  ague,  I 
challenged  him  to  make  it  appear  ;  but  all  y°  Answer  was,  you  tell  y'  1 
people  a  company  of  lyes  :  I  reflected  on  myselfe,  &  could  not  but 


i8 


GROTON    IN   THE   WITCHCRAFT  TIMES. 


magnifye  y^  goodnesse  of  God  not  to  suffer  Satan  to  bespatter  y' 
names  of  his  pple,  with  those  sins  which  hee  himselfe  liath  pdoned  in 
y"  blood  of  Christ.  I  Answered,  Satan,  thou  art  a  lyar,  and  a  de- 
ceiver, &  God  will  vindicate  his  owne  truth  one  day :  hee  Answered 
nothing  directly,  but  said,  I  am  not  Satan,  I  am  a  pretty  blacke  boy  ; 
this  is  my  pretty  girle ;  I  have  bin  here  a  great  while,  I  sat  still,  and 
Answered  nothing  to  these  expressions  ;  but  when  hee  directed  him- 
selfe to  mee  agen,  oh  !  you  blacke  roague,  I  doe  not  love  you  ;  I 
replyed  *hrough  God's  grace,  I  hate  thee  ;  hee  rejoyned,  but  you  had 
better  love  mee  ;  these  manner  of  exp'sions  filled  some  of  y'=  company 
there  p'sent  w"'  great  consternation,  others  put  on  boldnesse  to  speake 
to  him,  at  which.  I  was  displeased,  &  advised  them  to  see  their  call 
clecre,  fearing  least  by  his  policye,  &  many  apish  exp'ssions  hee  used, 
hee  might  insinuate  himselfe,  &  raise  in  them  a  fearlessenesse  of  spirit 
of  him :  I  no  sooner  turned  my  backe  to  goe  to  y^  fire,  but  he  called 
out  agen,  where  is  that  blacke  roague  gon  :  I  seeing  little  good  to  bee 
done  by  disco'se,  &  questioning  many  things  in  my  mind  concerning 
it,  I  desired  y*  company  to  joyne  in  prayer  unto  God ;  when  wee 
went  about  y'  duty  &  were  kneeled  downe,  with  a  voice  louder  then 
before  something,  hee  cryed  out,  hold  your  tongue,  hold  your  tongue, 
get  you  gon  you  blacke  roague,  what  are  you  going  to  doe,  you  have 
nothing  to  doe  with  rne,  &c :  but  through  Gods  goodnesse  was  si- 
lenced, &,  shee  lay  quiet  during  y°  time  of  prayer,  but  as  soone  as  it 
was  ended,  began  afresh,  using  y*  former  exp'ssions,  at  which  some 
ventured  to  speake  to  him  :  Though  I  thinke  imprudentlye  :  one  told 
him,  God  had  him  in  chaines,  hee  replyed,  for  all  my  chaine,  I  can 
knocke  thee  on  y'  head  when  I  please  :  hee  said  hee  would  carry  her 
away  y'  night,  Another  Answjred,  but  God  is  stronger  than  thou. 
He  p'sently  rejoyned,  that  's  a  ly,  I  am  stronger  than  God  :  at  which 
blasphemy  I  agen  advised  them  to  bee  wary  of  speaking,  counselled 
y'"  to  get  serious  j)sons  to  watch  with  her,  &  left  her,  contending  her 

Dec.  19.  to  God  :  On  Tuesday  folloving  shee  confessed  that  y"  Devill  entred 
into  her  y'  2d  night  after  her  first  taking,  that  when  shee  was  going 
to  bed,  hee  entred  in  (as  shee  conceived)  at  her  mouth,  &  had  bin  in 
her  ever  since,  &  professed,  that  if  there  were  ever  a  Devill  in  y" 
world,  there  was  one  in  her,  but  in  what  manner  he  spake  in  her  she 

Dec  20.  could  not  tell :  On  Wednesday  night,  shee  must  forthwith  be  carried 
downe  to  y*  bay  in  all  hast,  shee  should  never  be  well,  till  an  assembly  of 


s. 


GROTON   IN   THE   WITCHCRAFT  TIMES. 


19 


bespatter  y" 
I  .pdonecl  in 
,  and  a  de- 
e  Answered 
)!acke  boy ; 
at  still,  and 
rected  him- 
3ve  you  :  I 
lUt  you  had 
y"  company 
e  to  speake 
i  their  call 
5  hee  used, 
ise  of  spirit 
Lit  he  called 
?ood  to  bee 
concerning 

when  wee 
ouder  then 
jur  tongue, 
,  you  have 
3se  was  si- 
;oone  as  it 
hich  some 

:  one  told 
line,  I  can 
I  carry  her 
han   thou, 
:  at  which 
counselled 
ending  her 
vill  entred 
was  going 
liad  bin  in 
;vill  in  y' 
n  her  she 
3e  carried 
jsembly  of 


ministers  was  met  together  to  pray  with  &  for  her,  &  in  j)ticular  M' 
Cobbet :  her  friends  advised  with  me  about  it ;  I  signifyed  to  y'",  y'  I 
app'hended,  Satan  never  made  any  good  motion,  but  it  was  out  of 
season,  &  y'  it  was  not  a  thing  now  fiezable,  the  season  being  th=;n  ex- 
treame  cold,  &  y"  snow  deepe,  y'  if  shee  had  bin  taken  in  y"  woods 
w"'  her  fits  shee  must  needs  ,j)ish  :  On  friday  in  y"  evening  shee  was  Dec.  2* 
taken  agen  violently,  &  then  y^  former  voice  (for  y'  sound)  was  heard 
in  her  agen,  not  speaking,  but  imitating  y"  crowing  of  a  cocke,  accom- 
panied with  many  other  gestures,  some  violent,  jonie  ridiculous,  which 
occasioned  my  going  to  her,  where  by  signes  she  signifyed  y'  y''  Devill 
threatened  to  carry  her  away  that  night,  God  was  agen  then  sought 
for  her.  &  when  in  prayer,  y'  expression  was  used,  y'  God  had  prooved 
Satan  a  liar,  in  preserving  her  once  when  hee  had  threatned  to  carry 
her  away  that  night,  &  was  entreated  soe  to  doe  agen,  y"  same  voice, 
which  had  ceased  2  dayes  before,  was  agen  heard  by  y"  by-standers  5 
times  distinctly  to  cry  out,  oh  you  are  a  roague,  and  y"  ceased :  but 
y^  whole  time  of  prayer,  sometimes  by  violence  of  fits  sometimes  by 
noises  shee  made,  shee  drouned  her  owne  hearing  fro  receiving  our 
petition,  as  she  afterwards  confessed :  Since  y'  time  shee  hath  con- 
tinued for  the  most  ^'  speechlesse,  her  fits  coming  upon  her  some- 
times often,  sometimes  with  greater  intermission,  &  with  great  varie- 
tyes  in  y^  manner  of  them,  sometimes  by  violence,  sometimes  by 
making  her  sicke,  but  (through  Gods  goodnesse)  soe  abated  in  vio- 
lence, y'  now  one  pson  can  as  well  rule  her,  as  formerly  4  or  5  :  She 
is  observed  alwayes  to  fall  into  her  fits  when  any  strangers  goe  to  visit  her, 
&  y*"  more  goe  y'  more  violent  are  her  fits  :  as  to  y'  frame  of  her  spirits 
shee  hath  bin  more  averse  lately  to  good  counsell  than  heretofore,  yet 
sometime  shee  signifyes  a  desire  of  y^  companye  of  ministers.  On 
Thursday  last,  in  y^  evening,  shee  came  a  season  to  her  speech,  &  janVw. 
(as  I  received  fro  them  with  her)  agen  disouned  a  Coven'  w'"*  y* 
Devill,  disouned  y'  relation  about  the  knife  fore  mentioned,  declared  y" 
occasion  of  her  fits  to  bee  discontent,  owned  y*  temptations  to  mur- 
der; declared  that  though  y^  devill  had  power  of  her  body,  shee 
hoped  hee  should  not  of  her  soule,  y'  she  had  rather  continue  soe 
::peechlesse,  y"  have  her  speech,  &  make  no  better  use  of  it  y"  for- 
merly shee  had,  expressed  3^'  shee  was  sometimes  disposed  to  doe 
mischiefe,  &  was  as  if  some  had  laid  hold  of  her  to  enforce  her  to  it, 
&  had  double  strength  to  her  owne,  y'  shee  knew  not  whither  y"  devill 


wm 


20 


GROTON   IN   THE   WITCHCRAFT  TIMES. 


were  in  her  or  no  if  hee  were  shee  knew  not  when  or  how  he  entered  ; 
that  when  shee  was  taken  speechlesse,  she  fared  as  if  a  string  was 
tyed  about  y'  roots  of  her  tongue,  tk  reached  doune  into  hor  vitalls, 
Jan.  la.  &  puUed  her  tongue  downe,  &  y"  most  when  shee  strove  to  speake : 
On  Fryday,  in  y"  evening  shee  was  taken  w"'  a  passion  of  weeping,  & 
sighing,  which  held  her  till  late  in  y'^  night,  at  length  she  sent  for  me  j 
but  y*-  unseasonablenesse  of  y"  weather,  &  my  owne  bodily  indis- 
posednesse  p'vented  :  I  went  y"  next  morning,  when  shee  strove  to 
speake  somthing  but  could  not,  l)ut  was  taken  w-"*  her  fits,  which  held 
her  as  long  as  I  tarried,  which  was  more  y"  an  houre,  &  I  lett  her  in 
them  :  &  thus  she  continues  speechlesse  to  this  instant,  Jan.  15.  & 
followed  w"'  fits  :  concerning  which  state  of  hers  I  shall  suspend  my 
owne  Judgment,  &  willingly  leave  it  to  y"  censure  of  those  y'  are  more 
learned,  aged,  &  Judicious :  only  I  shall  leave  my  thoughts  in  resp. 
of  2  or  3  questions  w'^''  have  risen  about  her :  viz.  i .  Whither  her 
distemper  be  reale  or  counterfiet :  I  shall  say  no  more  to  y'  but  this, 
the  great  strength  appearing  in  y'",  &  great  weakucsse  after  them,  will 
disclaime  y*"  contrary  opinion  :  for  tho  a  pson  may  counterfiet  much, 
yet  such  a  strength  is  beyond  y°  force  of  dissimulation  :  2.  Whither 
her  distemp  bee  naturall  or  Diabolicall,  I  suppose  y"  p'mises  will 
strongly  enough  co'^  lude  y'  latter,  yet  I  will  adde  these  2  further 
argum'* :     i.  y*  actings  of  convulsion,  w'*"  these  cume  nearest  to,  are 


(as  psons  acquainted  w"'  y'"  observe)  in  many,  yea  y""  most  essentiall 
^ts  of  y'"  quite  contrary  to  these  actings  :  2.  Shee  hath  no  wayes 
wasted  in  body,  or  strength  by  all  these  fits,  though  soe  dreadfulle,  but 
gathered  flesh  exceedinglye,  &  hath  her  naturall  strength  when  her  fits 
are  off,  for  y'  most  ;^t:  3.  Whither  y*"  Devill  did  really  speake  in  her : 
to  y*  point  w"''  some  have  much  doubted  of,  thus  much  I  will  say  to 
countermand  this  app'hension  :  i .  The  manner  of  exp'ssion  I  dili- 
gendy  observed,  &  could  not  j)ceive  any  organ,  any  instrument  of 
speech  (which  y"  philosopher  makes  mention  of)  to  have  any  motion 
at  all,  yea  her  mouth  was  sometimes  shut  without  opening  sometimes 
open  without  shutting  or  moving,  &  then  both  I  &  others  saw  her 
tongue  (as  it  used  to  bee  when  shee  was  in  some  fits,  when  speech- 
lesse) turned  up  circularly  to  the  roofe  of  her  mouth.  2.  y-  labial 
letters,  divers  of  which  were  used  by  her,  viz.  B.  M.  P.  which  canot 
bee  naturally  exp'ssed  without  motion  of  y*  lips,  which  must  needs 
come  within  o'  ken,  if  observed,  were  uttered  w"'ot  any  such  motion, 


•MtH 


GROTON   IN   THE   WITCHCRAFT   TIMES. 


21 


if  shee  had  used  only  Lingualls,  Gutturalls  &c  :  y"  matter  might  have 
bin  more  suspicious :  3.  y"  reviling  termes  y"  used,  were  such  as 
shee  never  used  before  nor  since,  in  all  this  time  of  her  being  thus 
taken :  yea,  hath  bin  alwayes  observed  to  speake  respectively  con- 
cerning mee ;  4.  They  were  exp'ssions  which  y""  devill  (by  her  con- 
fession) aspersed  mee,  &  others  w"'all,  in  y-  houre  of  tempfition, 
.pticularly  shee  had  freely  acknowledged  y'  y*^^  Devill  was  wont  to  ap- 
pear to  her  in  y''  house  of  Ood  &  divert  her  mind,  ^:  charge  her  shee 
should  not  give  eare  to  what  y'  Blacke  coated  roage  spake  :  5  wee 
observed  when  the  voice  spake,  her  throat  was  swellecl  formidaljly  as 
big  at  least  as  ones  fist :  These  argum"  I  shall  leave  to  y"  censure  of 
y"  Judicious  :  4.  v/hither  shee  have  covenanted  w""  y^  Devill  or  noe  : 
I  thinke  this  is  a  case  unanswerable,  her  declarations  have  been  soe  con- 
tradictorye,  one  to  another,  y'  wee  know  not  w'  to  "make  of  y'",  &  her 
condition  is  such  as  administers  many  doubts  ;  charity  would  hope  y" 
best,  love  would  alsoe  feare  y"  worst,  b'.it  thus  much  is  cleare,  shee  is 
an  object  of  pitye,  &  I  desire  y'  all  y'  heare  of  her  w'*'  compassionate 
her  forlorne  state,  Shee  is  (I  question  not)  a  subject  of  hope,  & 
therfore  all  meanes  ought  to  bee  used  for  her  recoverye,  Shee  is  a 
monum'  of  divine  severitye,  &  the  Lord  grant  y'  all  y'  see  or  heare, 
may  feare  &  tremble  :  Amen. 


During  the  witchcraft  excitement  at  Salem,  in  the  year 
1692,  no  man  of  that  day  did  more  to  expose  the  wicked 
character  of  the  examinations  and  convictions  than  Thomas 
Brattle,  of  Boston.  His  good  sense,  and  regard  for  truth 
and  justice,  are  shown  in  a  letter  written  at  that  time,  though 
not  published  for  more  than  a  century  later.  It  is  found  m 
the  fifth  volume  of  the  Collections  of  the  Massachusetts 
Historical  Society,  and  the  writer  thus  mentions  Elizabeth 
Knapp's  case:  — 

I  cannot  but  admire  [wonder]  that  these  afflicted  persons  should 
be  so  much  countenanced  and  encourr^ged  in  their  accusations  as 
they  are :  I  oflen  think  of  the  Groton  woman,  that  was  afflicted,  an 
account  of  which  we  have  in  print  [in  Mr.  Willard's  sermon],  and  is  a 


mm 


Itfki 


Rlii! 


22 


GROTON    IN   THE   WITCHCRAFT   TIMES. 


most  certain  truth,  not  to  be  doubted  of.  I  shall  only  say,  that  there 
was  as  much  ground,  in  the  hour  of  it,  to  countenance  the  said 
Croton  woman,  and  to  apprehend  and  imprison,  on  her  accusations, 
a&  there  is  now  to  countenantx*  these  afflicted  persons,  and  to  appre- 
hend and  imprison  on  their  accusations.  Buv  furthermore,  it  is 
worthy  of  our  deepest  consideration,  that  in  the  conclusion,  (after 
multitudes  have  l)een  imprisoned,  and  many  have  been  put  to  death), 
these  afflicted  persons  should  own  that  all  was  a  mere  fancy  and  de- 
lusion of  the  devil's,  as  the  (Iroton  woman  did  own  and  acknowledge 
with  respect  to  herself ;  if,  I  say,  in  after  times,  this  be  acknowledged 
by  them,  how  can  the  justices,  judges,  or  any  else  concerned  in  these 
matters,  look  back  upon  these  things  without  the  greatest  of  sorrow 
■  and  grief  imaginable  ?  I  confess  to  you,  it  makes  me  tremble  when 
I  seriously  consider  of  this  thing.  I  have  heard  that  the  chief  judge  ' 
has  expressed  himself  very  hardly  of  the  accused  woman  at  (Jroton, 
as  though  he  believed  her  to  be  a  witch  to  this  day  :  but  by  such  as 
knew  the  said  woman,  this  is  judged  a  very  uncharitable  opinion  of 
the  said  judge,  and  I  do  not  understand  that  any  are  proselyted 
thereto.     (Pages  73,  74.) 

Thomas  Hutchinson,  in  the  "  History  of  the  Province  of 
Massachusetts  Bay"  (Boston,  1767),  'refers  to  this  case  and 
says ;  — 

In  167 1,  Elizabeth  Knapp,  another  venirilogua,  alarmed  the  peo- 
ple of  Groton  in  much  the  same  manner  as  Ann  Cole  had  done  those 
of  Hartford  ;  but  her  daemon  was  not  so  cunning,  for  instead  of  con- 
fining himself  to  old  women,  he  rail'd  at  the  good  minister  of  the 
town  and  other  persons  of  good  character,  and  the  people  could  not 
then  be  prevailed  on  to  believe  him,  but  believed  the  girl,  when  she 
confessed  she  had  been  deluded,  and  that  the  devil  had  tormented 
her  in  the  shape  of  good  persons ;  and  so  she  escaped  the  punish- 
ment due  to  her  fraud  and  imposture,     (ii.  17.) 

Samuel  G.  Drake,  in  his  "  Annals  of  Witchcraft  in  New 
England  "  (Boston,  1869),  also  mentions  the  case  of  Elizabeth 
Knapp,  and  says :  — 

1  William  Stoughton,  Lieutenant-Governor. 


.>^i^ 


GROTON    IN   THE   WITCHCRAFT   TIMES. 


23 


This  Story  has  been  given  to  show  how,  in  those  Times,  a  toler- 
ably severe  Case  of  Hysterics  coulil  be  magnified  by  those  who  had 
an  exceedingly  large  Maggot  of  Credulity  in  their  Brains.  Croton  is 
only  thirty-three  l\liles  from  Hoston,  but  the  Story,  in  travelling  even 
that  short  Distance,  had  no  Doubt  swollen  into  such  Proportions,  as  to 
have  but  a  faint  Likeness  to  the  Original. 

The  Condition  of  Elizabeth  Knap  was  probably  very  similar  to 
that  of  Elizabeth  Barton  (the  Holy  Maid  of  Kent),  who.  for  her 
Pretensions  to  Insj  iration,  "  Convulsions  ant'  .itrange  Motions  of 
Body,"  was  put  to  Death  in  the  Time  of  Henry  the  Eighth,  1584. 
(Pages  132,  133.) 

John  Willard,  who  was  hung  as  a  witch  at  Salem  on  Au- 
gust 19,  1692,  had  previously  lived  in  Groton.  The  papers 
relating  to  his  arrest  and  trial  are  still  on  file  in  the  office  of 
the  clerk  of  the  courts  for  Ivssex  County  at  Salem,  and  give 
many  particulars  of  the  unfortunate  affair.  They  are  found 
in  the  first  volume  of  "  Witchcraft  Papers,"  and  numbered 
from  91  to  107  inclusive.  The  trial  was  held  before  a  special 
term  of  the  Court  of  Oyer  and  Terminer,  of  which  the  records 
are  now  lost. 

A  warrant  for  Willard's  arrest  was  issued  on  May  10,  1692, 
addressed  '*  To  y"  Constable  of  Salem  "  and  put  in  the  hands 
of  John  Putnam,  Jr.,  who  made  a  return  dated  May  12,  that 
he  "  went  to  the  house  of  the  Vsuall  abode  of  John  VVillards 
and  made  search  for  him,  and  in  seuerall  other  houses  and 
places  butt  could  not  find  him ;  and  his  relatione  and  friends 
then  gaue  mee  accompt  that  to  theire  best  knowledge  he  was 
fflecd." 

Seven  indictments  were  found  against  him  und  the  original 
copies  of  four  of  them  are  still  in  existence.  These  all  charge 
him  with  practising  his  sorceries  on  various  spinsters. 

According  to  Robert  Calef,  in  his  "  More  Wonders  of  the 
Invisible  World  "  (London,  1700)  :  — 

yo/in  Willard,  had  been  imployed  to  fetch  in  several  that. were 
accused  j  but  taking  dissatisfaction  from  his  being  cent,  to  fetch  up 


24 


GROTON   IN   THE  WITCHCRAFT  TIMES. 


some  that  he  had  better  thoughts  of,  he  declined  the  Service,  and 
presently  after  he  himself  was  accured  of  the  same  Crime,  and  that 
with  such  vf  hemency,  ihat  they  sent  after  him  to  apprehend  him ; 
he  had  made  his  Escape  as  far  as  Nashaxvag,  about  40  Miles  from 
Salem ;  yet  't  is  said  those  Accusers  did  then  presently  tell  the  exact 
time,  saying,  now  Willard'vi,  taken.     (Page  104.) 

It  will  be  noticed  that  Calef  leaves  it  to  be  inferred  that 
VVillard  was  arrested  at  Nashawag,  which  is  another  form  of 
Nashua,  and  an  old  name  of  Lancaster.  The  Nashua  River 
is  sometimes  called  the  Nashawag,  in  the  early  records  of 
Groton.  Mr.  Upham,  in  his  "'Salem  Witchcraft"  (Boston, 
1867),  says  de6nitely  that  Willard  "was  seized  in  Groton" 
(ii.  173);  but  I  do  not  find  his  authority  for  the  statement. 
Lancaster  may  have  been  the  place  of  his  arrest.  Willard 
had  previously  lived  at  Groton,  which  was  then  a  frontier 
town ;  and  after  his  flight  from  Salem  he  would  naturally 
have  gone  thither. 

The  following  are  copies  of  some  of  the  original  papers:  — 

Anno  Regiii  Regis  et  Regince  et  Marice  nunc  Anglia,  ^c.  Quarto, 

Essex  ss 

The  Juro?  for  our  Sovereigne  Lord  and  Lady  the  King 
&  Queen  presents  that  John  Willard  of  Salem  Village  in  the  County 
of  Essex  husb.  the  Eighteenth  day  of  May  in  the  ffourth  year  of  the 
Reigne  of  our  Sovereigne  Lord  and  Lady  William  &  Mary  by  the 
Grace  of  God  of  England  Scottland  ffrance  &  Ireland  King  &  Queen 
Defenders  of  the  ffaith  &c :  Divers  other  Dayes  &  times  as  well  be- 
fore as  after,  certaine  detestable  arts  called  Witchcrafts  &  Sorceries 
wickedly  &  feloniously  hath  vsed,  Practised  &  Exercised  at  &  within 
the  Towne  of  Salem  in  the  County  of  Essex  afores'j  in.  vpon.  and  ag' 
one  Mercy  Lewis  of  Salem  Village  afores'-  in  the  County  afores"?  single 
woman  by  which  said  wicked  arts  the  s-'  Mercy  Lewis  the  s'.'  Eighteenth 
Day  of  May  in  the  ffoiTth  year  abovesf  and  divers  other  Dayes  & 
times  as  well  before  as  after  was  &  is  hurt,  tortured  afflicted  consumed  . 
Pined  wasted  &  tormented,  ag5  the  Peace  of  our  Sovereigne  Lord  & 


GROTON   IN   THE  WITCHCRAFT  TIMES. 


25 


Lady  the  King  &  Queen,  and  ag'  the  forme  of  the  Statute  in  that  case 
made  &  Provided 

Witnesses 
Mercy  Lewis 
Abigail  Williams 
Mary  Walcott 
Susanna  Sheldon 
Ann  Puttnam  Senr 
Ann  Puttnam  Junr 
Elizabeth  Hubbard 

Another  warrant  was  issued  on  May  15,  1692:  "  To  The 
Marshall  of  the  County  of  Essex  or  to  the  Constables  in 
Salem  or  any  other  Marshal  or  Marshalls  Constable  or  Con- 
stables within  this  their  Majes  Colony  or  Terretory  of  the 
Massachusetts  in  New  England." 

This  warrant  was  "  To  be  prosecuted  according  to  the  di- 
rection of  Constable  John  putnam  of  Salem  Village  who  goes 
with  the  same." 

The  following  endorrement  L  made  on  the  paper:  — 

I  haue  apprehended  John  Wilard  of  Salam  Veleg  acorden  to  the 
tener  of  this  vvarant  and  brought  him  before  your  worsheps  Date  18 
May  1692 

by  me.        John  Putnam'  Constoble  of  Salam 

The  Deposition  of  Samuel  Parris  aged  about .  39  .  years,  &  Nathanell 
Ingersoll  aged  about  fifty  &  eiglit  yeares  &  also  Thomas  Putman  aged 
about  fourty  yeares  all  of  Salem  — 

testifyeth  &  sailh  that  Eliz  :  Hubbard,  Mdry  Warren  &  Ann  Putman 
&  John  Indian  were  exceedingly  tortured  at  the  examination  of 
John  WillaM  of  Salem  Husbandman,  betbre  the  honoured  Magistrates 
the .  18 .  May .  1692  .  &  also  that  upon  his  looking  upon  Eliz  :  Hub- 
bard she  was  knockt  down,  &  also  that  some  of  the  afflicted  &  par- 
ticularly Susannah  Sheldon  then  &  there  testifycd  that  they  saw  a 
black  man  whispering  him  in  the  ear,  &  that  said  Sheldon  could  not 
come  near  to  said  Willard  but  was  knockt  down,  and  also  that  Mary 


J 


26 


GROTON   IN   THE  WITCHCRAFT   TIMES. 


Warren  in  a  fit  being  carried  to  him  the  said  Willard  she  said  Warren 
was  presently  well  upon  his  grasping  her  arm,  &  farther  that  several! 
of  the  afflicted  also  then  tP'^lihed,  that  divers  of  those  he  had  mur- 
thered  then  rose  up  against  him,  &  farther  that  he  could  by  no  means 
rightly  repeat  the  Lords  Prayer  tho  he  made  manifold  assayes. 

Mr.  Samuel  Parris  and  Nathanael  Ingersoll  and :  thomas  putnam 
did  uppon  the  oath  which  they  had  taken  did  before  us  the  Juris  of 
inquest  owne  this  thar  testimony  :  this  3  .  day  of  June  :  92  : 

Sworn  in  Court  by  Mr  Parris  &  Tho  :  Putman 

June  the.3  .  1692  : 
Sarah  Vibber  aged  36  yeares  or  thearabouts  testifie  and  saith  the 
befor  Jn"  Welard  was  exammend  at  the  uilleg  I  being  in  Lef  Engor- 
sols  Chambor  I  saw  y*  aporition  of  John  willard  com  to  mary  wolcot 
&  marcy  luis  &  hurt  tliem  griuosly  &  almost  choked  Them  Then  I 
tould  of  it  &  emediatly  y*"  said  wiliard  fel  upon  me  &  tonnented  me 
greuesly  &  pinched  me.  &  threw  me  down 

Sarah  uibber :  ownid  this  har  testimony  before  us  the  Jurriars  for 
Inqwest :  tliis .  3 .  of  June  :  1692 

Jurat  in  Curia 


The  depositiOxi  of  Lydia  Necols  aged  .  46  yeares  and  of  Margaret 
Knight .  aged  .  20  .  yeares  who  testefy  and  say. 

That  the  wife  of  John  Willard  being  at  her  fathers  house  when  the 
said  Willard  lined  at  Groten  .  she  made  a  lamentable  complaynt .  how 
cruelty  her  husband  had  beaten  her .  she  thought  her  selfe  that  she 
should  neuer  recouer  of  the  blows  he  had  giuen  her :  the  next  niorn- 
inge  he  was  got  into  a  litle  hole  vnder  the  stayres  .  and  then  she 
thougiit  some  thinge  extra  ordinary  had  befallen  him  then  he  ran  out 
at  the  doore  :  and  ran  up.  a  steep  hill .  almost  impossible  for  any  man 
to  nm  vp  :  as  she  sayd  :  then  she  tooke  her  mare  and  rid  away .  fear- 
ing some  euil  had  ben  intended  agaynst  her.  and  when  she  came  to 
the  house  of  Henery  or  Beniamin  Willard  she  told  how  it  was  with 
her  and  the  sayd  Henery  Willard  or  both  went  to  looke  after  him  and 
met  him  comeinge  in  a  strange  distracted  frame 

The  deposition  of  Thomas  Baly  aged  36  yeares  who  testefieth  and 
sayth. 


GROTON    IN   THE   WITCHCRAFT   TIMES. 


2^ 


That  I  being  at  Groaton  some  short  tyme  after  John  Willard.  as 

the  report  went,  had  beaten  his  wife  I  went  to  cal  him  home  and 

comeinge  home  with  him  in  the  night  I  heard  such  a  hideous  noyse 

of  Strang  creatures  I  was  much  affrighted  for  I  never  had  heard  the 

Hke  noyse  I  fearinge  they  might  be  some  euil  spirits  I  enquired  of 

the  said  Willard  what  might  it  be  that  made  such  a  hideous  noyse  the 

sayd  Willard  sayd  they  ware  Locust :  the  next  day  as  I  suppose  the 

sayd  Willards  wife  with  a  younge  child  and  her  mother  being  vpon 

my  mare,  ridinge  between  Groaton  Mil  and  Chensford.  they  .being 

willing  to  goe  on  foote  a  litle  desired  me  to  ride  :  then  I  taking  my 

mare  being  willing  to  let  her  feed  a  litle :  there  as  I  remember  I 

aprehend  I  heard  the  same  noyse  agayne  where  at  my  mare  started 

and  got  from  me 

Jurat  in  Curia 

The   testomony  of  Rebeckah   Wilkins  aged   ninteen   years   Boe 

testifie  that  29'!'  July  at  night  shee  se  John  Wilard  seting  in  the 

Conner  and  hee  said  that  hee  wold  afflick  me  that  night  and  forthwith 

hee  ded  affhck  me  :  and  the  nax  day  I  ded  se  him  afflick  me  soer  by 

Choaking  &  Polling  one  ear  into  Peases  the  nex  day  being  the  Lords 

day  I  being  Going  to  meting  I  se  John  Wilard  and  hee  afflickted  me 

uery  soer 

Jurat  in  Curia 

The  deposition  of  Henery  Wilknes  sen  aged  41  yeares  who  testi- 
fieth  and  sayth  that  vpon  the  third  of  May  last  John  Willard  came 
to  my  house  :  and  uery  earnesdy  entreated  me  to  go  with  him  to 
Boston  w''''  I  at  lenght  consented  to  go  with  him,  my  Son  Daniel 
comeinge  and  vnderstandinge  I  was  goinge  with  him  to  Boston .  and 
seemed  to  be  much  troubled  that  I  would  go  with  the  sayd  Willard  : 
and  he  sayd  he  thought  it  were  wel.  If  the  sayd  Willard  were 
hanged  :  w'^''  made  me  admire  for  I  neuer  heard  such  an  expression 
come  from  him  to  any  one  beinge  since  he  came  to  yeares  of  discretion, 
but  after  I  was  gone  in  a  fe  v  days  he  was  taken  sicke  :  and  grew  euery 
day  worse  &  worse  where  vpon  we  made  aplication  to  a  physitian 
who  affirmed  his  sicknes  was  by  some  preter  natural  cause  &  would 
make  no  aplication  of  any  phisicke.  Some  tymes  after  this  our  neigh- 
bours comeing  to  visit  my  son  Mercy  Lewis   came  w"'  them  and 


i'^xsss^jfumjus^MiMH 


pm/mm 


28 


GROTON   IN   THE  WITCHCRAFT   TIMES. 


affirmed  that  she  nw  the  apperition  of  John  Willard  aflicting  him : 
quickly  after  came  An  Putnam,  and  she  saw  the  same  apperition  and 
then  my  eldest  daughter  was  taken  in  a  sad  manner  &  the  sayd  An  : 
saw  the  sayd  Willard  aflicting  her.  at  Another  tyme  mercy  lewes  and 
mary  Walcott  came  to  visit  him,  and  they  saw  the  same  apparition  of 
Willard  aflicting  him,  and  this  not  but  a  little  tyme  before  his  death. 

Sworne  in  Court 

John  Willard  was  tried  on  the  5th  of  August  and  hung  on 
the  19th.  Three  other  men  and  one  woman  were  executed  at 
the  same  time  for  witchcraft ;  one  of  whom  was  the  Reverend 
George  Burroughs.  They  all  were  convicted  on  the  same 
kind  of  absurd  and  flimsy  testimony  as  that  given  in  the 
depositions  against  Willard.  They  were  allowed  no  counsel 
for  defence,  and  their  execution  was  nothing  short  of  judicial 
murder.  Under  the  gallows  Mr.  Burroughs  made  a  speech, 
declaring  his  innocence,  and  also  a  prayer  which  he  ended 
by  repeating  correctly  the  Lord's  Prayer.  This  produced  a 
great  effect  on  the  multitude,  as  it  was  then  the  common 
belief  that  a  witch  or  wizard  could  not  say  it  without  blun- 
dering. The  sympathy  of  the  crowd  was  so  much  excited 
that  the  leaders  of  the  wicked  movement  began  to  fear  lest 
the  executions  would  be  prevented;  and  Cotton  Mather, 
mounted  on  horseback,  addressed  the  assemblage  and  told 
them  that  the  punishment  was  a  righteous  one. 

Mr.  Upham,  in  his  "  Salem  Witchcraft,"  says :  — 

John  Willard  appears  to  have  been  an  honest  and  amiable  person, 
an  industrious  farmer,  having  a  comfortable  estate,  with  a  wife  and 
three  young  children.  He  was  a  grandson  of  Old  Bray  Wilkins; 
whether  by  blood  or  marriage,  I  have  not  been  able  to  ascertain. 
The  indications  are  that  he  married  a  daughter  of  Thomas  or  Henry 
Wilkins,  most  probably  the  former,  with  both  of  whom  he  was  a 
joint  possessor  of  lands.  He  came  from  Groton  ;  and  it  is  for  local 
antiquaries  to  discover  whether  he  was  a  relative  of  the  Rev,  Samuel  " 
Willard  of  Boston.  If  so,  the  fact  would  shed  much  light  upon  our 
story,     (ii.  321.) 


V'**^" 


**"-«^'*- 


/ 


GROTON   IN   THE   WITCHCRAFT  TIMES. 


29 


After  a  careful  investigation  I  cannot  discover  any  kinship 
between  the  Reverend  Samuel  Willard  and  John,  though  there 
may  have  been  a  remote  one.  Lydia  Nichols  and  Margaret 
Knight,  according  to  their  depositions,  were  acquainted  with 
Henry  and  Benjamin  Willard,  of  Groton,  both  sons  of  the 
mmister,  and  these  men  knew  John  Willard.  The  Reverend 
Mr.  Willard,  who  had  carefully  studied  Elizabeth  Xnapp's  case 
twenty  years  before  the  Salem  tragedy,  evidently  believed  in 
the  demoniacal  origin  of  witchcraft,  though  he  held  moder- 
ate views  on  the  subject.  In  a  pamphlet  written  by  him, 
entitled  "  Some  Miscellany  Observations  on  our  present  De- 
bates respecting  Witchcrafts."  and  printed  in  the  year  1692, 
he  takes  the  ground  that  there  are  witches  in  New  England,' 
and  they  ought  to  be  punished. 

In  passing  judgment  on  the  authors  of  this  monstrous  de- 
lusion, let  us  not  forget  the  fact  that  witchcraft  was  recog- 
nized as  a  crime  in  the  colonial  and  provincial  laws  of  Massa- 
chusetts, following  those  of  England;  and  let  us  remember, 
too,  that  many  of  the  wisest  and  best  men  at  ihat  period 
looked  upon  it  as  a  -in  against  Go-  vhich  should  be  pun- 
ished in  accordance  with  the  Mc"-'' 

Sir  William  Blackstone,  in  his  '  ...taries  on  the  Laws 

of  England"  (Boston,  1818),  ?.a.yi       - 

To  deny  the  possibility,  nay,  actual  existence  of  witchcraft  and 
sorcery,  is  at  once  flatly  to  contradict  the  revealed  word  of  God,  in 
various  passages  both  of  the  old  and  new  testament :  and  the  thing 
itself  is  a  truth  to  which  every  nation  in  the  world  hath  -n  its  turn 
borne  testimony,  either  by  examples  seemingly  well  attested,  or  by 
prohibitory  laws ;  which  at  least  suppose  the  possibility  of  a  commerce 
with  evil  spirits,     (iv.  60.) 


